Pokemon Plot Bunnies
by Kara Crane
Summary: Plot bunnies that are up for adoption. If one inspires you and you decide to adopt it, a heads up is appreciated. Rating may go up. Chapter six is darker than the other chapters, so the rating goes up a little.
1. Lucario and Ash

She ran.

Leaves wave in her wake, black paws kissing the earth below like raindrops before taking to the trees, trying to shake her pursuers. But the monferno was fast and easily followed as she leapt from branch to branch, from tree to tree. Mankeys leap from her path, chittering but staying away. They know she is strong, and her hunter stronger still.

An angry roar, the Flame Wheel misses but the heat of it's passing still singes her tail. The monferno's master wants her treasure. His Aura is repulsive, stinking of greed and corruption. Something flashes across her senses, another Aura, but different. It is raw, untrained. It is _pure_ and _active._ It's not far. Desperate, her Aura lashes forward. _Half a mile east. A meadow. Help._ She changes her course. If they are the same, if the Aura receives hers ...

* * *

Mid-step, he froze.

The desperation, the _fear_ sears through him like a hot spear. A heartbeat later he's running. Weaving between the trees and clamouring ungracefully over logs. His ears do not, cannot hear the confused shouts of his friends over the rushing blood. He does not feel the tiny, sharp claws of his pikachu digging into his skin. He feels only the Aura and how it guides him unerringly through the thick forest. Nidoran watch as he sprints by, their senses tell them he has no interest in them. The trees open and reveal a meadow, he bursts through into it and, guided by the Aura, turns to the north.

A pillar of fire, a Fire Spin, erupts through the canopy and towers high. He knows whatever made it is strong, that it's originator is no wild pokemon.

"Buizel! Water Gun!"

"Bui!" The water opens a hole in the wall of flame, a badly singed lucario clutching something leaps through and lands in front of him. Their eyes meet, their Auras mingle, and he _knows_ ...

* * *

Fire surrounded her.

She couldn't move without the risk of touching the wall. She hung her head, she'd failed to protect her treasure, her egg. The meadow was so close ...!

Over the roar of the flame, a human voice. The fire hissed and sputtered angrily as it died and revealed green beyond! She leaps with everything she has left and looks up. A human! But not the one chasing her ... could it be ...? Her Aura touches his and it's the one! She feels the honesty, the traces left by Lugia, Celebi. By Latias and Deoxys and another Lucario. She lingers on the touch of the lucario, it is well trained and powerful. Coming to the fore are the traces of yet more of the legends, of Manaphy, Darkrai and Shaymin. They trusted this human, and so would she. She places her treasure in his hands, she can feel his confusion.

"Why me?"

Her hunters are close, as she leaves, unburdened but still wounded, she reflects the trust of the legends to him, magnified so that he feels them as clearly as she. Her trust is in there as well, and her gratitude.

* * *

_Run run run run ....!_

His adrenaline surges as the memory of her flight pulls him in. Suddenly he's the one running, looking back, avoiding the unforgiving flames of the monferno. He's feeling as lucario does, he's feeling his own Aura from lucario's perspective and feeling the rush of hope fill his heart.

He sees the hope as lucario gives him the egg. He still doesn't understand why, so he asks. Lucario flees, but Aura washes over him again and he feels the trust, he remembers the legendary pokemon who trusted him. Lucario wants him to hide, to not draw attention to himself or the new life he now holds.

The sounds of a vicious battle breaks the silence, and he wants so badly to run toward it, to help ...! It takes gritted teeth, hunched shoulders, shadowed eyes and clenched fists to turn and walk away.


	2. LatiAsh

Disclaimer that applies to previous ficlet as well: Pokemon is not mine, blah blah blah ...

_Why did they do this?_ She internally wailed as her body sliced through the waters of the canals as if it were air and she a Pidgeot. _Why? _

Her brother was gone, stolen and stripped of his powers by humans. Upset and crying she let her heart lead her as she slipped from the water with nary a ripple and continued her blind flight until she found herself slowing to a stop in front of a building.

_Here?_ She wondered as she ascended to the second floor and looked through the open balcony doors. Even in the darkened room, she recognized the unruly mop of black hair peeking out from under the covers and the large yellow ball of fur beside it. The icy grip of fear on her heart slowly unclenched as she watched him sleep. Silently she entered the room, but her presence was noted not by sound or sight, but by smell as Pikachu's nose twitched.

In his awakening his long yellow and black tipped ears perked up and swivelled around the room as his head turned and his eyes locked on the eyes of the intruder.


	3. Legends

Disclaimer: Pokemon is not mine, Yadda, yadda, yadda ...

Once upon a time. Long, long ago. The partnership between a human and a pokemon was more than friendship, it was a sacred bond, a sharing of souls even. This was why there could only ever be one partner in a human lifetime. From the human, pokemon gained intelligence and the ability to reason. From the pokemon came a closer connection to the natural world and the ability to wield the elements.

Flames could dance along fingertips without burning. Rain could be summoned to quench dry fields. Wind could be made to fill sails and ensure a safe journey. It was a time of peace and magic. However it was a doomed when one man wanted more than he had, more than he needed. For the first time, greed had entered the world. Like a virulent plague the man infected others with his beliefs and the world was defenseless against the army. For a while.

No one knows who came up with the idea first, only that it spread quickly and was used by all who needed champions.

In the first continent ravaged by war. The partners of Water, hidden in the frozen mountains gathered every ounce of power they possessed and combined them. Icy wind slowly froze the water and shaped it, thus came the first Articuno.

The partners of Wind gathered on the highest peak and formed a tornado of such power it has yet to be equaled. The clouds rubbed violently against each other and shot forth lightning, thus came the first Zapdos.

The partners of Fire encircled the mouth of a sleeping volcano and woke it with a violent Firestorm. From the spewing magma and ash came the first Moltres.

* * *

In the second continent, having seen what the wind had molded in the first, created three statues of mighty earth-bound creatures. The partners of Water brought their statue to a holy lake and imbued it with their all their power. The statue came to life and Suicune bounded away.

The partners of Fire immersed their statue into a pit of magma melted by their own power. The magma was absorbed, the statue came to life and Entei bounded away.

The partners of Wind lifted their statue to the highest mountain and used their power to spin the clouds. Lightning struck the statue non-stop for three days and three nights. On the fourth day, the statue came to life and Raikou bounded away.

* * *

These six new guardians, having only the knowledge bestowed upon them by the partners that sacrificed themselves to create them, descended upon the army as they prepared to cross the ocean and lay siege on new lands. Articuno and Suicune froze the corrupt partners of Wind. Zapdos and Raikou electrocuted the corrupt partners of Water. Entei roared and opened a chasm into the heart of the planet, Moltres drove the corrupt partners of Fire into it.

The Warlord, now at the mercy of these new pokemon begged forgiveness and mercy. The guardians, created by fear of this man and his partner found themselves incapable of forgiving him. They also had no mercy to give. Together they utterly destroyed him and went back to the places of their creation.

It was many eons before humans walked the world again. But they were confused creatures. Desiring to be with pokemon but having no idea how.

Thus, the first pokemon capturing device was created.


	4. Instinct vs Training Ash and Lucario

Disclaimer: Pokemon is not mine, Yadda, yadda, yadda ...

He'd never been trained, he had only his instinct and that was screaming at him to _'do something!'_ And he trusted his instinct with his life, had actually done so on a number of adventures – so he trusted it now as he grabbed Sir Aaron's gloves. Were he older, they would have fit as though they'd been made for him.

Hands thrust out toward Mew, he let his instinct guide him, pull the Aura from his inner well and manifest it around Mew. He had to save this tree and the pokemon within it!

Energy rippled painfully up his frame, with a grunt he shuddered and managed to maintain the Aura flow. He pushed harder, even with Lucario's help he knew it would be difficult.

Ash Ketchum had never had any training, he hadn't even known about Aura until he'd accidentally released Lucario. There had been no master to teach him to know his limits.

He passed them.

"Ash!"

"Pikapi!"

He fell to his knees and collapsed bonelessly onto the floor, vaguely aware of everything returning to normal before everything went black.

* * *

He'd been trained by the best.

His master had taught him to always know his limits, to sense the Aura in others. Lucario knew Ash was almost at the limit, and had planned on taking the burden on his shoulders alone. But without warning there had been a surge of Aura, and Ash had drained himself dry.

"Ash!" He'd cried in alarm.

"Pikapi!"

Ash fell to the floor and he knelt beside the boy, his ... friend. He would not lose another! He focussed what remained of his Aura as Mew healed the tree and let it flow through him. A gentle stream compared to the raging torrent of a minute earlier. Lucario used his Aura to re-ignite Ash's Aura and only stopped when it was strong enough to support life.

Ash would be okay.


	5. Buneary

Disclaimer: Pokemon is not mine, Yadda, yadda, yadda ...

And to think, her day had started so badly!

Several wurmple had found her hidden berries and eaten them all. That wasn't the worst of it, the starly flock in the tree above had gotten into such a fight early, _early_ that morning she doubted anyone in the area stayed asleep once the first rays of the sun began to light the sky. And her morning bath had been rudely interrupted by a gang of buizel looking for some sport. So irritating!

Then a scream, a human scream, pierced the air and sent the starlys flying. Resigned to her curiousity, she perked her ears while staying hidden behind the bush and listened. Humans in the area usually meant trainers, it was always best to know what they were up to. The one with the food dropped a potato, and the croagunk tossed it higher than the human could reach.

Had her attention been on the trainers she would have found their actions rather comedic, but a flash of yellow had caught her eye and her heart. The pikachu was sleek and healthy with bright eyes and almost shining fur. Sailing through the air he deftly caught the flying potato in his forepaws and landed with such grace and finesse!

He was perfect.

He was gorgeous.

And she was utterly in love.


	6. Future Tense

Disclaimer: Pokemon is not mine, Yadda, yadda, yadda ...

Rapidash screeched to a stop, she would go no closer to the forbidden territory. He murmured a 'thank you' when she kneeled so it wasn't so far to the ground and, arthritic joints aching, he gingerly climbed off. Ears twitching nervously his ride took off. He didn't blame her; the area was unnaturally quiet, no pokemon dared to live so close to a forbidden place.

The path had been taken back by nature, but he knew the area so well he didn't need it. As he walked, he allowed himself to remember his friends. Those that had fallen in the war. All his friends, human and pokemon alike, dead because of _Him._

Paul.

His pokemon had rebelled against him for the way they were being pushed to exhaustion and still being asked to fight. Other unhappy pokemon had followed their example, forcefully separating themselves from their trainers.

Team Rocket and Team Galactic had tried to capitalise on this rebellion, but had fallen under the crushing blows of their own pokemon.

One by one, his friends had fallen.

Step by step, he remembered all of them and the good times they'd had.

He stopped at the gravestone. His best friend, the one whom he had met here in this very town all those years ago. His closest confidant, the one he knew better than he knew himself. The one who had never left him behind. Tears beaded in his earthen eyes and he sniffled as he lay down on the grave to die.

"Pikapi."


	7. Legends Ash and Pikachu

Disclaimer: Pokemon is not mine. Period

A.N.: Even the most fantastic of legends hold a single grain of truth ...

* * *

"Legend tells, children, that the messengers of Arceus were once as mortal as you and I are now." Began the old man to the congregation of children and pokemon. "Born in the time of the capture devices known as 'Pokeballs'," he was interrupted by the booing of the pokemon. He waited for them to calm down. "Born in the time of the Pokeball, their first meeting was the start of our history. Their first blessing came from the great Ho-oh on that momentous day, from there they blazed a trail around the world. Competing in all Leagues of the time and never once confining his first partner in the device. Helping others, waylaying all the evils in their path and, unknowingly, gaining true immortality. For those they met never forgot."

He took a sip of water. An anticipating silence fell over the growing crowd. The adults all knew this, had heard the story a hundred times while they grew up.

"A Prophecy came, foretelling the doom of our world. Society had paid it little mind until it was upon them. An asteroid, as large as the region of Kanto was coming. Science barely cracked it, the mighty Space Guardian Rayquaza could only scratch the surface of the ore it was bound together with. It seemed the world would come to an end. Great Arceus had, epochs before, saved the world from such a menace. But had nearly lost his life to a much smaller foe. This was not something he could do alone, so he sought the Chosen One and his Pikachu. His name and face, sadly, have been lost to the ages. Little is known about his connection to the Legendaries and Arceus. But by then, the Pikachu had been struck not only by the lightning of nature, but also by Zapdos, Raikou and Zekrom. It was the most powerful of it's kind, more than a match for any raichu."

The storyteller took another few sips of water to wet his lips and soothe his dry throat. The crowd leaned closer.

"Arceus appeared before them and told them 'My Children are in danger, they will die. Chosen One, Pikachu; I will give you what you need to need to save this world.'"

"'Mighty Arceus, creator of us all.' They answered. 'To save the lives of all the people and pokemon, we would to anything.'"

"'Even though it may mean your lives? Your very souls? This power is not one to be wielded lightly.' To which the pair replied. 'Even our very souls, if it meant the world would be safe.' Arceus judged their words true and their hearts pure. From His circle of plates He drew forth Lightning, Fire, Dragon, and Fighting. Fighting, to empower the Aura of the Chosen One and break the stone. Fire, to melt the ore within. Lightning, to empower the Pikachu and bind the elements together. Dragon, for power. These plates joined into a blinding orb, the Orb of Light. The Chosen One took the Orb into his hand and kneeled before his partner. 'Pikachu. You who have been with me all these years, travelled through all the regions, entrusted your life to me and who I have entrusted my life to you. Will you help me?'"

"Basked in the divine light of Arceus, Pikachu responded and was understood as though they spoke the same language."

"'Chosen One. In my heart, you are my Brother and not my trainer. When evolution would have ensured victory, you never forced it upon me as many trainers have done to my kin. Though we had our arguments, as brothers do, you never forced your will upon me. You, my Brother, have always given me the respect of a human and the choices to do as I wish. Yes. I will help you.' Hand and paw, as one they grasped the Orb. A pillar of Lightning, Fire and Aura shot into the heavens, striking the menace! But not even such power could deter it's path!" The storyteller raised his voice and moved his hands in an animated manner, showing the story as much as telling it. The crowd was enraptured.

All but two.

They were listening, yes, but only with a seemingly mild interest.

"As they struggled to maintain the pillar, their very life draining out of them by the second, the Titans of Fire and Lighting along with the great Dragons Palkia, Dialga and Giratina came from the East and began feeding their own powers into the pillar! And behind them were dragonites by the dozens! From the West came the Guardians Raikou and Entei! They were followed by scores of salamence and garchomp! From the South came Latias, Latios, Zekrom, Reshiram and Vicinti! And from the North came the Aura Masters, all the Lucario. And finally, from the depths of space, came the mighty Rayquaza! From their combined might came the power to blow the asteroid away, saving all but two." His voice and demeanor became subdued. "The Chosen One and Pikachu, the conduits for this power, lay charred on the ground. While the rest of the world rejoiced, the pokemon cried for these two heroes. Drawn by the sorrow of all the pokemon, Ho-oh came. Landing on the scorched earth, it listened to the pleas to bring them back as it had the three Guardian Dogs of Johto once upon a time. Standing over them, Ho-oh lit itself aflame. The details of their ascension are unknown, but they did ascend and we, as the descendants of those they saved can do no less than remember them. For in the world's darkest hour, it was they that the great Arceus entrusted the Orb of Light."

There was a rousing applause, and the crowd dispersed. Walking away, a man turned to the pikachu on his shoulder.

"That's not how I remember it. How about you Pikachu?"

"Pikaaaaa..."


End file.
